IN Recovery Mode - FijiTimes.com

In recovery mode

Naomi Beyer
Wednesday, December 30, 2009

THE tourism industry in Pacific Harbour is looking forward to a well-earned New Year's drink this year.

With service being the foundation of the hospitality business, it was no picnic this year.

Cyclone Mick did its worst with damage to the Serua/Namosi region estimated at $5million, mostly to smallholder farmers.

Baka trees, some older than the Pacific Harbour and Deuba settlements, were tossed around like matchsticks.

But resorts provided almost uninterrupted service to their guests.

In only a couple of cases did the visitors realise that the local community was deprived of water and electricity.

That was because of smart planning and skilled staff.

One resort owner went to the trouble of transporting over 20 Hong Kong visitors to Suva so that they would not be inconvenienced by the water shortage.

The management of the Uprising Resort called in all available staff to ensure the clean-up was completed in the shortest possible time. As a result, everything was back to normal in no time.

The Adventure Capital of Fiji remained just that, with uninterrupted diving trips off Lagoon Resort.

Most of the other attractions were back in action within a few hours of Mick departing our shores.

The famous Fiji smile was there in spite of it all.

Agriculture will take some time to recover from this devastation and our hearts go out to those who have lost so much.

First-timers take a bow - Fiji Times Online

First-timers take a bow - Fiji Times Online

First-timers take a bow

By Gereldine Panapasa

Saturday, August 22, 2009

The winning performers ... students of the Pacific Harbour Multi-cultural School.

NEWCOMER to Tadra Kahani 2009, Pacific Harbour Multicultural School, was crowned winner of the junior division after a sterling performance at the Vodafone Arena in Suva ast night.

The Deuba school also scooped two special awards, including best concert award, tfl best costume award and cash prize of $1500.

School co-ordinator Lasaro Rabaka said this was a big achievement for the school.

Their colourful creation of the theme - The Transition and Integration of Cultures in Fiji through Dance - left a positive message to a full-house audience last night.

"It's a very fulfilling, rewarding and very satisfying feeling to be named winners of this year's Tadra Kahani junior division," he said. "It was challenging for us in the beginning with the concept but the students really worked hard to improve their performance. We chose a theme that matched our school and that's what we wanted to portray, cultural diversity."

Show co-ordinator Loretta Jackson said this was yet another successful year for the Tadra Kahani and praised the confidence level of participating students at this year's show.

"One thing is clear and that is the standard of performance by the students has lifted yet again," she said. 2008 junior division winner Nakelo District won the tfl best set design award and Vodafone most entertaining while International School in Suva took out the FM96 best soundtrack and tfl best choreography awards.

First-timer Dilkusha Girls Primary won the UNICEF most innovative award.